Almost immediately after the successful avoidance of the asteroid collision, Joan was promoted to senior operational director of MI5 – the most senior operational post below the Director-General of the British Security Service.
Etienne, Robin, Paul, Robert and Colin continued with their roles in MI5.
The organisation also gained Walt Cooper who was well qualified for many of the tasks required by the service – including the occasional assassination.
Bishop Julian Summerland and Bishop Anthony Forrester returned to their duties in the Anglican Church – Bishop Summerland being particularly occupied by the US funded rebuilding of Northchester Cathedral. They also resumed their roles as Masters of ARK.
After many months of intensive counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder, Bishop Gerald Hunter resigned his post as a bishop, and his position in ARK, to become the parish vicar of Great Melford in Norfolk. He returned to London periodically to maintain his acquaintance with Rachael Walker – an acquaintance he continued to share with very many leading establishment figures.
Angela Rikard continued in her role of Arkangel but implemented procedures to screen future ARK recruits for signs of homicidal psychopathy.
Elliot Parker and Maria Galveston were employed by President Redman to work with Charlotte Goldman in devising proposals to allow the president to regain some level of control over his own country.
Major Dwight White and Colonel John Hawker both retired from the US Air Force when the base at Groom Lake was closed. Part of that site became a science based, adventure park, and Dwight became its manager.
Corporal Joss Henderson was never prosecuted in order to avoid his trial leading to inconvenient revelations about the asteroid story. He left the military and became a preacher in Texas.
Vladimir Paulov and Tom Meadowcote vanished once again, although Joan periodically noted subsequent undercover operations that carried the hallmarks of their contributions to Python.
Christian Leadbetter left the Anglican Church and embarked upon a career as an explorer and adventurer, accompanied by the now divorced Susan Hollis – one of his ex-parishioners from Waterford. (Look at chapter 13 if you’ve forgotten that – keep up; keep up!)
Rod and Crystal Dowsing continued with their exploration of UFOs – inventing many previously unknown methods for detecting previously unknown forms of psychic energy.
Duck and Jenny did not continue to work for MI5 but re-established Bishop’s End Farm – raising sheep for fun and growing cannabis for profit.
As for Helen and me, we began our formal career with MI5 by driving to Scotland to investigate a very strange and disturbing phenomenon that had come to Joan’s attention.
But that is another story. …